Italy: “Too many tourists” problem – unable to handle them

Italy faces a dilemma that many countries may envy: it cannot live without tourists, but it is no longer able to deal with the huge numbers flocking to the country, especially after the epidemic.

60 million tourists flocked to the country last year, draining the Italian economy of huge amounts. The tourism and travel industry represented 10.2% of Italy’s GDP in 2022, while employing approximately 4.4 million workers, or 16% of total employment.

The problem of “too many tourists” may seem like a problem any country would like to face, but in recent years, the massive influx of visitors has forced authorities to take steps to save cultural heritage that cannot handle such a large number of people, CNBC notes. Outside .

The first and best is Venice, which charges €5 to enter the city for day travelers who don’t stay overnight.

Or again, to see Da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan, tickets must be booked weeks in advance. To avoid irreparable damage to the work, the number of visitors is limited to about 30 at a time for a maximum of 15 minutes.

There are not enough workers

Not only are there too many tourists, but there are not enough people to serve them.

The Italian Association of Employment Agencies (Assolavoro) has indicated that there is a shortage of staff to work in the hotel and beach sectors this summer as the country expects a new record number of tourists.

In Sardinia, for example, about 25,000 seasonal workers are needed.

Reservations are difficult

This high demand from travelers also makes booking hotels and restaurants difficult.

On Lake Como, it’s almost impossible to get a reservation at Veranda, George Clooney’s favorite restaurant.

But if one really wants to spend time with the VIPs, one can book the famous La Cassinella villa on the lake for just €100,000 per week.

source: after that